Redlands Mayor Pete Aguilar discusses recent trip to Washington

REDLANDS - Mayor Pete Aguilar said he traveled to Washington last month and attended a White House holiday reception.

"I thought it would be nice to see some friends at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee," he said by phone. "Whether I was having conversations about 2014, I decided to give them some holiday cheer from Southern California...so I said, `Hello,' popped in and had a conversation with them about the holidays.

"Some might speculate it might have been a little more than that...but I was really touching base with some friends."

In November, Aguilar was re-elected to the City Council.

He announced his intention to run for his council seat in July, several weeks after he lost his bid for Congress in the June primary.

The decision to run for the council again was made after several discussions with his family about whether it was the right move for all involved, he said in July.

Should he run for higher office once more, similar discussions would be made to see what is best for not only Redlands, but for himself and his family, Aguilar said Thursday.

"I will be taking the next month or two to talk to my family before we make any decisions about running for office in 2014," he said. "I will say I'm interested in a seat though because I'm passionate about public service, but I need to make sure I'm making the best decision for my family."

The council in December re-elected Aguilar mayor for a second term. He said he was happy to serve in the role, a role he loves in a city that he loves.